What “Brangelina” can teach your credit union

September 20, 2016…a day that will live in infamy. People will remember this day and ask, “Where were you when you learned Brangelina was over?”

The news coverage, memes, talk show commentary, video mockery, and rumors are flying so fast I’m surprised they haven’t broken the internet yet. Especially since, according to some sources, the split caused a series of earthquakes in California…(I truly hope those comments were in jest).

So, I figured, if everyone else is talking about it…we should at least learn something!

Here are my lessons:

• The things people care about aren’t always the important things. CNN pushed coverage of bombings in New York off to the side to splash the news of Brangelina as widely as possible. Logically, we know what is important, but the human mind isn’t always logical. Often emotion guides us. Think about that when you are building products, talking about budgeting with your members, or creating your advertisements. How can you communicate the things people need to know in a way they will care about?
• People file thoughts away…they don’t forget. Even though Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split over a decade ago, pictures and videos have been dusted off to produce thousands of memes in the Brangelina aftermath. The Aniston/Pitt conversation wasn’t even relevant anymore…until it was. Picture this: you have done thousands of projects over the years, and for the last decade everything has been smooth sailing. Then, there is a glitch with your mobile upgrade causing a member-facing delay. Suddenly, members you thought were happy are complaining that this “always” happens, and remind you of a core upgrade that went awry in 2002. Sound familiar? Try to remember the past when planning for the future so you are prepared for the fallout if it comes.
• The age of the internet has turned our world into a giant game of telephone. The gossip is everywhere. The craziest Brangelina comment I’ve overheard so far was that “She left him because he let the kids eat McDonald’s.” Now, I’m not an expert on the Brangelina relationship…but I am willing to bet that is not the root cause of her decision. Truth often gets lost in the grapevine when traveling at breakneck speed. And, even though we all know you can’t trust everything you read on the internet…sometimes that gets forgotten. Try to communicate in short snippets that will be easy for people to remember and repeat accurately – and expect some items will still get lost in translation.

Lastly, you never know what the next big thing is going to be. And while not everything is relevant for your credit union to pick a side in or comment on, sometimes you can strike gold. (For example, did your credit union seize the Pokémon day and become part of that conversation? Why or why not?) Knowing what everyone is talking about – and being prepared for anything – can help you stay relevant in the post-Brangelina world.